Process of making structural elements



Q Get. 7, 1924.

N. C. RENDLEMAN PROCESS MAKING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS '2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed March 8, 1922 will/Ila f6 {/5 resented on. 7, 1924.

' NORMAN c. BENDLEMAN, or nonmoN'r, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, n2 mnsmin's- SIGNMENTS, TO JONES 8t ELAUGHLIN STEEL CORPORATION, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

or rrrrsnonen,

PROCESS OF MAKING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS.

- Application filed Karen 8, 1922. serial No. M23155.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that NORMAN C. RENDLE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of'Dormont, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, has invented an Improvement in Processes of Making Structural Elements, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings is a specification', like characters on the rawings representing like parts.

My invention aims to provide improved structural elements, such as beams, columns andtruss members, having latticed or open webs and intended to carry or resist heavy loads or stresses. A further aim is to improve the manufacture of such elements from solid web shapes.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown one embodiment or ractise of 1 my invention for purposes of i ustration,

Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 is a crosssection. of an I-bea'm of suitable shape, show- 'ing the web formed with rows of slits according to the practise preferred for floor beams;

, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal mid-section of the same after the web rolling operation;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a suitable ex'- pending die and straightening roll, showing the beam in process of treatment; 1 Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4, showing the shape of the rolls and their manner ofv operating upon the beam; I i

Fi 6 is a longitudinal midsection and Fig. is a plan view of the beanf' after the expanding and roll-straightening operation;

Figs. 8 and 9 are cross-sections of the same on the lines 8--8 and 9--9, respectively,

' v the undulations.

in Fig. 7; Fig: 10 is a side view; and

*Fig. 11 is an end view of the beam.

In the particular embodiment of the invention selected for illustration herein and finished I shown in the drawings, referring particularly to Figs. 1 and x 2, anyI-beam l 2 ofsuitable cross sectional shape, comprisln marginal flanges 13 and a web 14'1sutil1z asthe metal blank or stock from which the improved structural. element is produced,

but other shapes, bars or strips may-be utlllzed, depending upon theform cessfully of the finished article desired:

:The entire. operation is advantageously performed upon the beam 12 or other shape as it comes from the finishing .pass from the rolling-mill, and without reheating This results in econom of fuel and labor, vand gives a better pr not since the metal is; not sub ected to possible deterioration by repeated heating.

The hot beam, if-rolled in usual mannenisi first sub'ected to the action of a suitable shear, w ich forms in the web 14, seri'esg'of slits or lines of weakness 15 dividing it ortions 16 connected .in-

into narrow strip termediately to eac other and to the marginal flanges 12.- As shown inFigure-l, there are three parallel rows of slits,- the slits in adjacent rows bein men; may be varied to suitthe product Slre I i 'I 7..

After the formation of the slits the beam is (passed-between a re ucing rolls whi upon the web, leaving the opposite flanges in staggered relation-- to one another, butt e number and arrange w plair of suitably shaped c operate principally '80 relatively free, and which rolls may; be

shaped to suit the cross-sectional shape' desired for the strips 16. The effect ofthis rollingis uniformly to reduce and elongate the stri portions of the beam without sub..- stantial y chan ing the length of the opposite flanges, an ,ca bows or undulations usually longitudineltin the strips 16 between the points where their ends are tied, to th'e flanges, as shown in Fig. 3. fln order'to control these undulations, suitable guide 17 may be graced. above and below the web fporthe tion-oi e beam atthe discharge side 0 roll pass, thus restraining Referring to Fi 4, the guides 17 have diverge to spread the beam open.- "At the leaving side of tho" expanding guide}? or straig ten-' dies, see also Fig. '5, is a pair 0 the amplitude of not ing rolls 19,20; between which the p opened beam is drawn. The bottom roll 19 is driven by any suitable means,}and the top roll 20 rides upon it and is driven by trio-" tional contact on the supporting necks 21.

As shown in Fig. 5, the bottom roll is grooved to receive the flanges l3 and is provided with collars 22 to hold them straight, w ile the top roll is cut away so that it merely bears against the edges of the flanges 13 to retain them in the grooves of the bottom roll. The top roll has a convex projection 23 around its middle which engages the undulating ties 16 and bends them down and pulls them 'out in a straight trough or transverse sag connecting the side flanges 13, see Figs. 6 and 7. The diameters of the ends of the roll 20 and the supporting necks 21 are so chosen with reference to the diameter of the convex portion 23 as to maintain the peripheral speed of the convex portion about the same as that of the I- beam as it passes through the rolls.

The rolls 19 and 20 are relatively shaped, having suitable cut away portions to permit "the 'bond portion only of the ties to be pressed from one side into generally uniformed sagged position, leaving the connecting ties free to be tensioned across from bond to bond and'in a manner that will permit them. to be laid flat and substantially open and by subsequent rolling or flattening thereof.

Further "flattening of the 'tie members forming the web and spreading of the side flan s to finished ,wi th may be accomplis ed as preferred or as determined bythe particularshape of the beam or other section beingoperated upon. The illustrative I-beam maybe finished by passing it from the straightening rolls to flattening guides, .dies or rolls which bend without in uriously stretching the ties 16 and spread the flanges to the finished form shown in Figs. 10 and 11. If found necessary or desirable the beam may be subjected to further rolling and straightenin operations, either hot or cold,

until the rig t finish is attained. Structural elements manufactured or fall "ricated by the practice of my invention are stronger, lighter and cheaper than soecalled metallic. lumber and may be advantageously used 'for'floor beams, columns, bridge and roof trusses and girders, reinforcing elements for concrete structures and many other purposes which will be apparent to'bnilders and engineers.

.My invention obviously is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein illustrated and described, but may be practised upon a variety-of shapes, and' for anv purpose wherein an open work or latticeil jirreb is advantageous or useful.

Having disclosed one illustrative means of practising my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows: i

1. Manufacturing structural members by as slitting an intermediateeweb-like portion to {term ties connecting the margins, rolling said slit portion to elongate it, separating the margins and drawing the elongated slit portion around a convex roll to open out said ties in regular formations, and flattening said ties-so that their center lines will be approximately in the principal median plane of the member to form an open web.

2. Manufacturing structural members by slitting an intermediate. web-like portion to form ties connecting the margins, rolling said slit portion to elongate it, separating the margins and drawing the elongated slit portion around a convex roll to open out said ties in regular formations, the peripheral speed of said convex roll being maintained substantially the same as the linear speed of said member, and flattening said ties so that their center lines will be approximately in the principal median plane of the member to form an open Web.

3. The method of fabricating a structural element which comprises slitting the metal of a suitable metallic shape between opposite marginal portions, rolling said slit portion to elongate it, bowing said elongated portion to freeits members from local irregularities, and spreadin the marginal portions and flattenin said slit portion.

4. The method 0? fabricating a structural element which comprises slitting the intermediate portion of a suitable metallic shape to form two parallel rows of connecting members joined to each other at adjacent ends and to the margins of the element at opposite ends, rolling said connecting m here to substantially finished cross-sectional shape, bending said connecting members transversely in a uniform curve, and separating the margins of the element to straighten out said connecting members to form a lattice connecting said margins.

5. The method of fabricating a structural element from a suitable metallic shape, which comprises slitting the metal between opposite marginal portions, rolling and bendin said slit portion transversely to elongate an tions. I

6. The method (if-fabricating a structural element which comprises rolling .a suitable solid shape and while it is still at the elevated temperature incident to such rolling slitting and rolling togrea-ter length the metal between opposite longitudinal marginal portions, bending said slitted and lengthened metal transversely in a regular curve to take up the slack in its length, and then spreading the margins to flatten said curve.

7. The method of fabricating a structural element which comprises slitting and rolling to greater length the metal of a suitable metallic shape between its opposite longitudinal margins Without extending said man ginal portions,- tl'iereby giving said reli portion an undulr. J. iform iengthwise on open it out, and spreading the marginal por- I adj auent rows form, bending said slit-sad web transversely in the form of a trough COIHPOSfid of: of equal cross-sectional area at all paints lengthwise of the eiement, and then spmzding the margim of tha elem-ant and thereby Hamming said. fireugh into a uniformlattice strands 0f smhazzmtiaH-y straight meambsars eomiec i mg said margmsa 9. Wm moeass of making stmetwal e1emegm'zs wlrfich comprises slitting the- Ember mediata portion 0?? 2L suitable, shape: m farm mm parallel rows 0f wxmecting members joined $0 sash othenax adiaqcent ends and to the margins of the slement at oppesim ands,

roiling said ccnnemting mambers m Muse and lengthen them. spreaim wzmezing membm s into a lattice 0" pm? ayiindrb cal form, and seyamting thfi margins 05: *Qc-he element t0 fimten said liatfiice ami straighmn said wnnecting mfimbwrs t0 farm an span Web cnnmcting said margins.

In testimony whereof, have. sigma my name to this specification.

Now/m1: 0. RENDLEMAN. 

